I.a longing, ardent desire or wish, properly for something once possessed; grief, regret for the absence or loss of any thing (for syn. cf.: optio, optatio, cupido, cupiditas, studium, appetitio, voluntas—freq. and class.).
I. Prop.
(α).
With gen. object.: “te desiderium Athenarum cepisset,” Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 13; cf.: “me desiderium tenet urbis,” Cic. Fam. 2, 11; Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 22; “and, locorum,” Ov. Tr. 3, 2, 21: “rerum earum,” Lucr. 3, 901; cf. id. 3, 922; 918: “esse in desiderio alicujus,” Cic. Fam. 2, 12 fin.: “desiderium conjunctissimi viri ferre,” id. Lael. 27, 104: “Scipionis desiderio moveri,” id. ib. 3, 10: “tam cari capitis,” Hor. Od. 1, 24, 1: “defuncti,” Suet. Calig. 6 et saep.: “desiderio id fieri tuo (for tui),” Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 66; cf.: “voluntas, in qua inest aliqua vis desiderii ad sanandum volnus injuriae,” Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 14.—
(β).
Absol.: pectora dura tenet desiderium, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 41: “alicui esse magno desiderio,” Ter. Heaut. 4, 5, 5: “explere exspectationem diuturni desiderii,” Cic. de Or. 1, 47, 205: “quo (desiderio) conficior,” id. Or. 10: “ex desiderio laborare,” id. Fam. 6, 11: “facere aliquid cum desiderio,” id. Lael. 21, 81: “demus hoc desiderio jam pene publico,” Quint. 8, 4, 29 et saep. In plur.: desideria alicujus commovere, Cic. Rab. perd. 9, 24; Hor. Od. 4, 5, 15 et saep.
II. Trop., of a person, as the object of longing: “nunc desiderium, curaque non levis,” Hor. Od. 1, 14, 18: desiderio meo nitenti, Catull. 2, 5; “and as a term of endearment: mea lux, meum desiderium ... valete, mea desideria, valete,” Cic. Fam. 14, 2, 2 fin.; Catull. 2, 5.—
III. Transf.
A. Want, need, necessity, in general (rare; “not ante-Aug.): cibi potionisque desiderium naturale,” Liv. 21, 4 et saep.: “pro desiderio corporum,” Plin. 11, 50, 111, § 264: “desideria scabendi,” id. 30, 14, 43, § 127 al.—
B. In the time of the empire, a request, petition on the part of inferiors: “desideria militum ad Caesarem ferenda,” Tac. A. 1, 19; 1, 26; Suet. Aug. 17; Plin. Pan. 79, 6; Dig. 1, 16, 9; 25, 3, 5.—
C. Desires, pleasures (late Lat.): “servientibus desideriis et voluptatibus,” Vulg. Tit. 3, 3: “carnis,” id. Ephes. 2, 3.